In the Morning
by CureDigiQueen
Summary: In the earliest hours of the day, Lena gets herself into trouble with the law and decides her best course of action is to call Donald Duck. It turns out to be the right one.


A/N: I really have no idea how the legal system works. But I suppose it is another world, and I'm the author, so you get what you get.

One of my other ideas for a similar situation involved Lena asking for Mr. McDuck and the officer not believing her, and I considered Fenton stopping by to visit, recognizing her (from the shadow war or something IDK, was he there during the final fight?) But this worked much better, and I need to see Donald interacting with both Lena and Webby.

And I don't really care that Lena is currently a shadow. Obviously.

* * *

"Here, call your parents,"

"My parents?" Lena grumbled, "I don't have any parents."

"Your legal guardian," the police officer grumbled. He took a sip of his coffee. Lena could tell he just wanted to go home.

She did too.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was 18?"

"Hilarious, do you have any ID."

Realistically speaking she probably would be looking exactly at 18 as she did now… as she did when she was 10, and 5, and really, since forever. But really that information wasn't helpful now.

"I don't have it on hand,"

That wasn't exactly a lie. She didn't have any ID at all. She had a few fakes over the years, but she hadn't exactly bothered with it since her return. She really should talk to Uncle Scrooge about that.

On the other, it was probably for the best. Now her little... adventure... couldn't be tied back to the McDuck family.

"Look, I'm not letting you go except into the custody of your legal guardians after we have a nice long chat about respecting the law."

Lena was quiet for a moment before she finally spoke, "I don't know their phone number,"

"You don't know their phone number?"

"Like anyone memorizes phone numbers anymore," She scoffed, "and you confiscated my phone,"

The officer grumbled disagreeably, and left the room, returning with a small smartphone, and handed it to Lena. It wasn't fancy by any means, but it worked well enough. It was a token of Uncle Scrooges kindness for her.

It wouldn't do for her to use it to call him and let him know she had gotten in trouble with the law.

Lena opened her contacts and the first name she saw was Mrs. Beakley. She almost pressed the name, but decided against it. Beakley would certainly come for her. But she had been trying so hard to prove to her that she was worth her time and affection. This would be proof of what she had suspected from the very beginning.

Dewey, followed by Donald.

She supposed she could call Donald.

But Donald was known for his temper, something that Lena had witnessed a few times, and Lena wasn't sure she wanted his temper directed at her. Especially since she wasn't one of his boys, who she would swear that he loved more then life itself, or even Webby, who Lena was positive he had a soft spot for (who didn't). Was there anyone else...

"Are you going to call someone?" the officer asked impatiently. Lena tapped the name, and it began to ring. Lena almost dropped the phone as she nervously put it towards her ear.

"Hello? Lena are you alright?" Donald asked, sounding nervous.

"Donald, um Mr. Duck?"

"Lena? Are you alright? You know Donald is fine right?"

"Um, right. I'm fine. I just… could you pick me up from the police station?" The request tumbled out, her words rushing together.

"The police station what happened!? Lena?" Donald cried. Lena couldn't quite grasp exactly what he said, but she got the gist and could hear rushing footsteps on the other side.

"Can you just come," Lena asked in a small voice, hoping he'd do this one thing for her.

"I'll be right there, sit tight," Donald hung up.

"He's coming," Lena blurted, handing back the phone.

"Who?"

"Um, Donald Duck."

"What is his relation to you, exactly,"

"Uh, well, he's my best friend's grandmother's employer's nephew."

"...what?"

"He's kinda like my honorary Uncle," she said with a shrug that she hoped was more confident than she felt, "I live with him,"

More or less anyway. He lived on a boat in the pool. She lived in a loft in the manor only a few hundred meters away.

He grumbled.

* * *

"I'm here for Lena,"

"What?"

Lena winced as she could practically hear Donald trembling in anger.

"My name is Donald Duck, and I'm here for Lena,"

"Just show some ID… that's perfect. She's in the first room on the left,"

Lena could hear him walking down the hall.

"Where is she?"

"Thank you for coming in Mr. Duck,"

"Lena?"

Lena gave a sheepish nod in acknowledgment.

"Do you have any idea why your… niece was it?"

Donald shrugged, "Close enough,"

The officer gave an odd look, but continued, "Your niece is here because we got a few calls from some concerned citizens about a teenager stalking the mall after hours, and we found stolen goods in her bag,"

"Is this true Lena?"

Lena couldn't even turn to look at him.

"I'm going to have to ask you to keep a better eye on her. She was lucky no one pressed charges… but if this happens again."

"It won't,"

"You never know… with all due respect, I've seen far too many…"

"Far too many? Trust me you haven't met anyone like Lena before," Donald snapped. Lena winced, knowing it was only a matter of time before he began scolding her.

"Mr. Duck, I realize this must be upsetting for you, but you have to know that you haven't failed…"

"I know I haven't failed. I haven't done anything. And Lena is an important part of our family. Her presence has been good for everyone. So she makes a few poor decisions. Doesn't everyone?"

It took Lena entirely too long to realize that Donald's hair-trigger temper was flared in _her_ defense. He was fighting someone _for her_.

"Sir…"

"It's late, and I have to be up again early. If you would excuse me we're going home," Donald growled, grabbing Lena's wrist and marching out to the vehicle.

* * *

"You aren't mad at me?" Lena asked.

"I'm furious!? What were you thinking?"

"I-I don't know. I just… thought it would help? They were just going to throw it all out anyway."

"How does having to go pick you up at 1 in the morning before I have a job interview help?"

"I didn't know you had a job interview," Lena mumbled, "You didn't have to come."

"Of course I had to come, your one of my kids!"

Lena didn't know what to say at first. And so she didn't.

"Lena?"

"You called me one of me as one of your kids?"

"Oh, that?" Donald looked almost sheepish, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… I can stop if it bothers you…"

"You think of me as one of your kids?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"I guess, I'm not… I just I don't know why you'd want to bother yourself with me,"

"Lena, it's really no bother,"

"I thought you just said you had a job interview tomorrow,"

"Okay, it is a bother, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, I'd do it a million times over,"

"You'd do it a million times?"

"I'd probably lock you in the mansion after the third time,"

"Like I can't escape,"

"You don't know everything about me,"

"What does that mean?"

Donald gave a short laugh in lieu of an answer.

"...You're going to tell Uncle Scrooge and Mrs. Beakley aren't you,"

"Do you want me to?"

"You aren't going to tell them?"

"If I was going to I already would have,"

"Oh,"

"It's up to you,"

"Oh, so this is one of those things where you're going to make it seem like I have a choice, but then you pressure me into one because it's the 'right thing to do,'"

"You don't have to if you don't want to, as long as it doesn't happen again," Donald said, "I got into trouble with the law a few times when I was a teenager myself,"

"...Wait, what?"

"Don't tell the boys… or Webby… or Uncle Scrooge… and for the love of all that is good, don't tell Mrs. B,"

"Okay, but you have to explain,"

Donald's beak twisted into a bittersweet smile, "Sometimes Della and I… sometimes our cousins and friends too… mostly just Della and I… but we had a habit of going into places we weren't supposed to be,"

"I suppose your parents weren't pleased,"

"I can only imagine how angry my mom would have been, she had a temper unlike anyone I've ever met,"

"Is that where you get your temper?"

"I suppose… but she died when Della and I were still kids. Younger than the boys are now. Uncle Scrooge raised us part of the year,"

"Oh… I didn't know that,"

"That's alright. I don't really spend a lot of time talking about my childhood,"

"Because you were a law-breaking rouge?"

Donald gave a weak laugh, "Scrooge had to come and get us a couple of times, he was never happy. Those were always the worst. But usually we were able to avoid getting caught. And one time we even managed to escape the police station,"

"You managed to escape the police station?"

"There was two of us," Donald stated, as if that explained everything, "And besides, I think the security has increased since my time,"

"Hm,"

"Don't get any ideas, if the boys and Webby end up in jail I know who to blame,"

"I'm not entirely sure they wouldn't end up there, even without my help. Trouble seems to run in your blood,"

Donald gave a heavy sigh as he pulled into McDuck manor, "It really does. All I can try to do is keep you kids safe,"

"-I'm sorry,"

"For what," Donald asked confused.

"Making you come and pick me up,"

Donald smiled, and gave a little laugh, "Oh that. Run along to bed, before Beakley catches you,"

"Good night Uncle Donald,"

"Good night Lena, see you in the morning,"


End file.
